PogChamps 3 Chess Puzzles: Day 10
Tactics continue to decide the fate of the participants of PogChamps 3 presented by GRIP6. Those who failed to spot tactical shots were sent home by their opponents.
Rainn Wilson vs. MoistCr1tikal
MoistCr1tikal was visibly intimidated by Rainn Wilson and did not perform well. Blunders and miscalculated tactics made Rainn's job easier throughout the match. The actor now advances to the semifinals in the championship bracket and will face Benjyfishy.
Game 1, Puzzle 1 - Rainn to play
Game 1, Puzzle 2 - Rainn to play
This position hides a tasty move that is even better than the one Rainn found during the game.
Game 2, Puzzle 1 - MoistCr1tikal to play
Can you see the move Cr1tikal prepared with the help of his coach GM Daniel "The Prophet" Naroditsky?
Game 2, Puzzle 2 - MoistCr1tikal to play
Tactics are not only good for attacking, but sometimes they can also aid you in the defense of your pieces. Rainn forked Cr1tikal's rook and king, but Charlie had a tactical resource to save the position. Can you spot it?
Game 2, Puzzle 3 - Rainn to play
Ludwig vs. Logic
The match between Ludwig and Logic came down to the wire, with both players getting mating chances in the tiebreak. Logic missed his opportunity to checkmate Ludwig, who did not hesitate to hunt down the rapper's king. Even though Logic lost the match, he noted: "I won. I made money for charity and I'm happy."
Game 1, Puzzle 1 - Ludwig to play
Logic blundered in the opening. Can you take advantage of it like Ludwig did?
Game 1, Puzzle 2 - Logic to play
Logic saw this game-changing move. Can you find it?
Game 2, Puzzle 1 - Ludwig to play
Ludwig left one of his knights hanging. Can you see why he did it?
Game 3, Puzzle 1 - Logic to play
Logic found the right first move but missed the crucial continuation due to time pressure.
Game 3, Puzzle 2 - Ludwig to play
Neeko vs. Rubius
It seemed like Rubius was not going to fall victim to Neeko's aggressive style. Unfortunately for the Spanish streamer, time pressure and nerves got the best of him. Neeko's fearless style paid off and helped her advance to the semifinals in the consolation bracket.
Game 1, Puzzle 1 - Rubius to play
Rubius found this tactic in the game. Do you see it too?
Game 1, Puzzle 2 - Neeko to play
Neeko found a tactic that would equalize material had Rubius not blundered his queen.
Game 2, Puzzle 1 - Rubius to play
Game 2, Puzzle 2 - Rubius to play
Rubius found the opportunity to win more material in this position.
Game 3, Puzzle 1 - Rubius to play
Pokimane vs. Myth
Pokimane is another player who is showing tremendous improvement. Her puzzle grind helped her to find the right moves to prevail over Myth. With her victory, Poki also advances to the semifinals in the consolation bracket.
Game 1, Puzzle 1 - Pokimane to play
Pokimane saw the winning idea.
Game 2, Puzzle 1 - Pokimane to play
Game 2, Puzzle 2 - Pokimane to play
If you want check out what happened during the eighth day of PogChamps 3, you can read Chess.com's report here. For more information on PogChamps, read this guide. Also, make sure to tune into Chess.com's daily coverage of PogChamps 3 presented by GRIP6 on Chess.com/tv.
Could you find the right moves in each of these positions? How difficult was it for you to find them? Leave a comment below to let us know!
During PogChamps 3, Chess.com will match up to $100,000 in donations to the participants’ preferred non-profit organizations. Please read this article to see how PogChamps is supporting charities and how you can help, too!
Other PogChamps 3 puzzles:
Pedro Pinhata is the Writing Lead for Chess.com. He writes articles, feature announcements, event pages, and more. He has been playing chess since 2019 and lives in Brazil.
